


City of Lights

by quicksiluers



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Bickering, Canon Divergence, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Holidays, cause you can't have robbie not mention gabe I mean come on!, love that kid, mentions of Gabe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 03:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9052963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quicksiluers/pseuds/quicksiluers
Summary: Daisy's always wanted to go to New York City during the holidays. The sights, the sounds, the lights, she's always dreamt of it as a girl. Now with a mission completed early, she has that chance with Robbie to take it all in.





	1. City of lights

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays to everyone! I just got this finished in the nick of time. This is just some holiday fluff because I wanted it! And obviosuly this is a little canon divergence since Robbie technically disappeared but we all know he's coming back...so enjoy the fluff!

New York City in the middle of December was always somewhere Daisy wished she could be. It was almost like a fantasy in her mind when she was younger. Watching those classic Christmas movies, NYC was always at the heart of them and every time she saw it, she wished more and more she could experience it. The lights, the sounds, the snow gracefully falling through the air. Whenever she thought of Christmas, those were the images that came to her mind and the smile they would bring to her face was one of true happiness.

She tries to bite back that smile as she walks along with Robbie on the sidewalk outside of Central Park. Coulson had asked them to deal with a target that was a little tricker then some of the usual agents could handle. Not an Inhuman, but an overpowered man who tried and failed to shut the power off all over the east coast. Blackouts seemed to be a popular trend with bad guys these days.

The mission was over quickly with the two of them working it. Robbie acted as a distraction, lighting equipment on fire seemed to not be helpful to the man, and Daisy came in for the attack.

It was an easy knock out. She had expected to be brought immediately back to the base for a debriefing, but as she talked to Coulson she could see a playful smile growing on his face.

“So when should we expect a pickup?” She asked as they sat in their hotel room, her laptop screen taken over by Coulson.

“Tomorrow morning seems like a good time for you right?” Coulson replied.

Confused, she tilted her head slightly, “Tomorrow morning is fine...but I thought you’d want to bring us in before…?”

The older man shrugged, “Well, we don’t need the debriefing until the afternoon. Plus,” he stopped, smiling at her, “You deserve a little break. You mentioned something about wanting to visit NYC right?”

She blinked, stunned into silence. A smile tugged at her lips but she fought it back, “I...may have mentioned that. We’ll be ready by tomorrow morning,” she paused, “Coulson...thank you.”

As they walk along the sidewalk, Robbie grumbles into the scarf that covered the lower half of his face. She groans internally, was he going to do this the whole time?

“You are bundled up to the nines, how are you still cold?” she asks, raising an eyebrow to him.

“How are you not cold?” he replies, muffled slightly by the scarf, “I’m made for LA, not New York City in the dead of winter…"

“Well, it’s not my fault that we had a target out here,” she retorts, waving an arm through the air slightly, “Besides, now we can enjoy an authentic holiday! How great is that?”

“I’m good with my fake holidays with warm weather, thank you very much.”

She sighs, shaking her head, “I’m shocked that a guy who has the ability to control fire is somehow so cold, you big baby.”

He turns towards her, an eyebrow raised, “Baby? Really? We gonna go there _chica_?”

“Hey, I’m not the one complaining about the weather!” she tugs on the beanie on his head slightly, “I even got you a hat, that should keep you warm!

“Well obviously not.”

Rolling her eyes, Daisy looks around. The streets are filled with bustling people and the stores are all lite up. They weren’t kidding when they said New York City never slept. Something catches her eye, a little coffee shop across the street, and she stops dead in her tracks. Grabbing Robbie’s arm, she starts to drag him, “Well! Before we walk through the park, let’s get some hot chocolate. That should warm you right up.”

Trying to catch his footing, he let’s her lead the way, “Any excuse to get out of this bitter cold…”

“You’re so dramatic…” she deadpans, though a smile tugs at the corner of her lips.

The coffee shop is small and cramped with people, but it feels homey. It has books lining the back wall as high as the ceiling and tables are that look like something out of an old timey movie. She orders them two hot chocolates, “Don’t you try and pull out your wallet Reyes, I got this one!”, and they walk back out into the cold air. She breathes it in and sighs happily, closing her eyes. This was exactly what she pictured when she would dream this up as a child. It was perfect.

Robbie takes a sip of his own drink and watches Daisy out of the corner of his eye. Aside from some quiet moments with her team, this was probably the happiest he had ever seen her. He hadn’t known her long, but Robbie had formed a bond with Daisy. He could trust her, depend of her when he needed support. In their time working together, he had come to care about her. It had been so long since he had someone else to care about aside Gabe. It was strange feeling.

When she asked him to come out into the city with her, he was going to decline. Cold weather wasn’t something he felt like dealing with. But he saw the joy in her eyes, had heard the excitement in her voice hidden underneath her business like tone. Something about being in the city made her happy and she wanted him to join her in that. How could he say no?

Seeing her now, the snow falling lightly around her, smile stretching across her face, Robbie was happy he didn’t decide to stay inside. It wasn’t often when he got to see her smiling as much as she was now. It was a good look for her.

She loops her arm through his, walking across the street, “So! We gotta walk through Central Park, it’s a staple of going to New York City!”

“In the cold? Really?” he grumbles, taking another sip of his drink.

“We are gonna walk through it and you are gonna like it,” she replied, lightly elbowing him in the side, “let the hot chocolate keep you warm.”

With the sun down, the light’s that were on the tree’s glowed brighter within the darkness. They lit up the path way they walked on, illuminating them in a faint warm glow. It felt magical. Daisy gazed around, giddy laughter escaping her a few times. This was exactly how she imagined it. Different company then she expected, but it wasn’t hard to tell that Robbie was enjoying himself as well. She could see the hints of awe in his face as they walked, which made her happier. It was rare when she could find something that generally shocked him.

“This is so picture perfect, can you believe this?” she asks, letting go of his arm and twirling a few feet away from me, “I’ve always wanted to do something like this.”

He watches her, struggling not to smile. Seeing Daisy this happy...he couldn’t describe it. But he felt a warmth in his chest that wasn’t there before as he watched her. What was going on?

Coughing, he looks around their surroundings, “It does look really nice, the snow is a good touch.”

“And the lights!” she exclaimed, “I mean, you see them in LA but with the snow, and the cool air, the people bustling around…

“I’ll give you this...I do feel more in the spirit then I do when I’m in LA. It’s got,” he pauses, gesturing slightly with his hand, “it’s got that feeling you know?”

Grinning, she loops her arm through his again, playfully tilting her head, “Even the lights of NYC can get the scary ol’ Ghost Rider to get in the spirit.”

He snorts, “Funny.”

They walk over a small bridge over a creek, Daisy shrugging her shoulders, “I try to be,” she stops, looking over the view, “Wow this is so, and the buildings are lite up too…,” she whips out her phone, sliding the camera to appear on her phone, “I feel like such a tourist.” she grumbles, slowly turning to capture the entire picture.

“It’s beautiful...send me that picture? Gabe would love to see it.” he asks, taking a finally sip of his drink. Gabe would kill to get the chance to be out here. He always did want to travel when he was older, see the world a bit more.

“Of course!” she replies, sliding her phone into her pocket, “I would never deprive your brother of such a lovely view. He knows you’re out here right?”

Nodding, he leans back slightly, “Yeah, yeah...I stopped keeping secrets from him. He’s on a school trip, kid is on the debate team, and they got this this in San Francisco for a few days. So he’s not home alone.”

“Debate team?” she questions, crossing her arms, “That’s not surprising, I can see Gabe really exceeding at that,” a smirk appears, “He has to deal with you, so debating shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Hilarious,” he deadpans, rolling his eyes, “Groundbreaking really.”

She raises an eyebrow, “You doing puns now? Really?”

Walking past her down the bridge, he turns back to her, a smirk of his own on his face, “You’re one to talk, queen of awful puns.”

Well that was uncalled for. Playfully, she she puts a hand to her heart, “I’ll have you know, my puns are A+ material. Don’t you diss them.”

“You can keep dreaming _chica._ ”

The smirk grows on his face as he talks and she has to restrain herself. When he did that, she could feel her heart start to race slightly. It wasn’t her fault, Robbie just had a nice smile. Or smirk.

Huffing slightly, she walks down the bridge towards him and punches his arm lightly, “Whatever carrot top,” she countered, pointing in a general direction, “We still have a park to walk through, let’s keep up the pace.”

Daisy loses track of time for how long they’ve been in the park. They continue down the same path, the different types of lights surprising her each time. The chill of the air began to nip at her a bit more, but she paid it no mind. Unconsciously, she leaned into Robbie’s side more, trying to find warmth anyway she could. How was he cold when even through his coat she could feel heat radiating off his skin?  

Eventually, they find themselves looking over the ice skating rink that they use in the park each year.  
“You ever skate before?” Robbie asks, watching the groups of skaters slowly make their way across the ice.

“I tried it once or twice,” she replies, shaking her head slightly, “ let’s just say I ended up falling on my ass a lot.”

A short laugh escapes him, “Really? You?”

“Before SHIELD, I was not what you called “athletic”.”

They stand together in silence for a moment, a thought crossing Robbie’s mind. Daisy never mentioned her time before SHIELD, and if she did, it was very rare and quick. How much did he really know about her?

Eyes not moving from the rink, he asks; “What did you do before SHIELD? “

“Travelled a lot, never really settled you know?” she shrugs, her eyes catching a small family sliding across the rink. A small smile forms on her lips, “I was a hacker before SHIELD, that’s how I got on their radar.”

He blinks, surprised, and turns down to look at her, “A hacker?”

She looks up at him, smirking, “How did you think I got all that info about you after the first time we met?”

Shrugging, his eyes meet her’s, “Thought you were just a weirdo.”

She bites back a laugh, rolling her eyes, “And you’re the normal one here?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course,” he replies, the smirk growing, tapping his chest with his hand,  “Totally and completely normal. Nothing strange here.”

The laugh escapes her, Daisy shaking her head. They stand together in silence for a few moments, the echoes of laughter from the rink filling the air. It was peaceful, up here above the crowd. She couldn’t ask for anything better and glancing over to Robbie, she was happy he was here with her.

* * *

 Having left the park, they started to make their way back to the hotel. The sidewalks were still crammed with people, from tourist taking in the sights to citizens rushing to get home. It was a chaotic scene, but having lived in LA, Daisy was used to it.

She’s jerked back suddenly and almost loses her footing. _‘What the hell?’_

Looking around, her eyes land of Robbie, who’s eyes are focused on something else. Following his line of sight, she turns and is met with what looks to be a book store. What had him interested in the book store?  
Leaning slightly into him, she tugs on his arm lightly, “See something?”

He blinks, broken from his thoughts, and looks down at her, “It’s nothing,” he says, eyes darting back to the window then to her, “ just saw something that reminded me of Gabe.”

Blinking, surprised, she glances back at the window. She grabs his hand lightly, she can feel Robbie jump, and she drags him closer to the display. Looking over the books, her eyes land on one about astronomy. She pokes at the glass and glances up to him, “Gabe interested in space too?” she asks, smile tugging, “He’s got a lot going on in that head of his.”

He stuffs in hands in his pockets, a quiet laugh escaping, “Every since we were little, he loved space,” he recounts, “We had this telescope and every night he would drag me out of bed to look through it,” he pauses, thinking for a moment, gazing down at her, “We still have it, I think it’s in his room.”

“That’s so sweet,” she replies, looking back at the book, “Well, why don’t you get him the book for Christmas? I’m sure he’d love it!”

“Yeah…,” he trails off slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips, “I was gonna get him something else, but this would be nice.”

The bookstore is cozy and reminds Daisy of the coffee shop they were in a bit ago. It was nice, finding small little shops like this still in business in such a large city. She walks through the store slowly, trying her best to move through the groups of people. Robbie had gone ahead to buy the book, much to her delight. Gabe would love it, though she was sure he would love anything Robbie got him. Her heart warmed up at the thought of them spending the holidays together, their small family being able to relax with one another.

Passing by a shelf, she stops, something catching her eye. Pulling it from the shelf, her hand grazes over the leather bound cover, worn but still in good condition. She flicked through the pages and found them blanket, confused for a moment. _‘It’s probably a journal…’_ she thinks. Closing it, she goes to put it back when another thought struck her. This would be perfect for Coulson. He always loved stuff like this and she had heard him mention wanting a new journal.

Sneaking off to the front, she found Robbie checking out in the line and he waved her over. Quickly, she got the journal checked out, Robbie looking at her and the book with a bit of confusion.

Walking out of the store, she holds the wrapped journal up slightly, “ We’re doing this secret santa and I have Coulson.” she explains.

Realization washes over his face and he nods, “Oh well he’d love that, he seems to be into all that old timey stuff.”

“Right?!” she replies happily, stretching her arms out, “That’s what I try to tell him…”

Daisy points out buildings and other things as they walk down the sidewalk. They pass Rockefeller center, the crowds within the square packed. Quickly, she pulls out her phone and puts her arm around Robbie’s neck, pulling him down. She snaps a quick picture of the two of them, the tree in the background and shows him in the photo, “Spontaneous photo, you had to know it was coming!”

He rubs his neck, pretending to be annoyed, “You could have given me a warning…”

They continue down the sidewalk towards their hotel. The air was getting colder and colder by the second and Daisy hitched her scarf up closer to her face. She could barely feel anything, but the night had been worth it.

“I’m happy we got to go out tonight, this was really nice…” she says, looking up at the sky, “lucky for us that target didn’t cause too much of a stir.”

He watches her, expression unreadable, “Yeah, it was easier to take care of than I thought...but yeah, aside from the cold, this was nice.”

A thought crosses her mind, Robbie smiling with Gabe in their small home, and she turns to him, “Do you and Gabe have any plans for Christmas?” she asks, a small hope pulling at her heart.

“We just kind of hang out, make dinner together, watch some movies,” he lists it off casually, shrugging slightly, “it’s nice to just sit back and relax you know?”

A small sad smile appears on her face, “Yeah that sounds nice.”

His eyebrows furrow, confused by her tone, “Are you doing anything?”

Her gaze drifts off ahead, a sadness coming over her, “I’ve never really had a set tradition with Christmas,” she mutters, “moving around a lot you know?”

The thought troubles Robbie, though he didn’t know why. His eyes don’t leave her, noticing her eyes glossing over. His frown deepens, “Not even with SHIELD?”

Shaking her head slightly, her head turns towards him, “Things have been chaotic the past few years, we have little things but nothing too crazy….”

An idea pops into his mind, so quickly he almost missed it. Would it be too much to ask? They had just began to get to know one another. Would she even want to?

It never hurt to ask.

“Well…” he pauses, stuffing his hands into his pockets, “You could always...come by my place, hang out with Gabe and I. It’s nothing too special but it’s nice.”

Her heart jumps. Stopping at the door of the hotel, she turns, almost bumping into his chest. His eyes are looking in the other direction, like he’s nervous. Robbie nervous? There was always a first for anything. A warmth came over her, trying to process what he had asked her.

“Really?” she asks, almost breathless, “You wouldn’t mind?”

His eyes meet her’s and she finds understanding. A genuine warmth, someone reaching out to her. It was small, but in this moment, it meant the world to her. Daisy had just begun to reopen herself to her friends, to allow them back in. To help heal the open wound that had been there for months.

This was something new though, something she couldn’t explain. But it was something she liked.

He ducks his head slightly, trying to hold back a smile, “No, of course not...but it’s up to you.”

Her eyes don’t leave his and she finds herself grasping for his hand. He finds hers, entwining their fingers together. It’s warm. And safe.

“I would love too...thank you Robbie.”


	2. Are you shining just for me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having been invited by Robbie, Daisy celebrates with the Reyes brothers on Christmas day. It's a nice, quiet, and also changes things for the two of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well! I didn't expect to make this chapter! This was just going to be a one-shot but someone over on tumblr suggested/requested I do another chapter and gave me an idea I just couldn't refuse! The POV's in this chapter kinda jump around a bit so I'm sorry if it's confusing. But enjoy!

“Thank you again for inviting me, you didn’t have to…”

Taking the bags from her hands, Robbie shook his head, “It’s really not a problem. We like company, don’t we Gabe?”

Gabe nodded, rolling over quickly to join the two over by the door, “Yeah,” he replied, a small grin on his face, “Anything is better than being stuck in a house alone with this loser.”

Robbie snorted, moving past him, “Funny. Talk like that and I won’t make the mashed potatoes the way you like them.” He threatened, setting the bags down by the Christmas tree in the corner

The younger man crossed his arms, pouting, “Always gotta threatening me with the food…” he mumbled underneath his breath.

Daisy bit back a laugh, shoulders shaking slightly. It didn’t seem like the Reyes boys had changed too much since she last seen them.

She sat with Gabe on the couch, going through television channels in search of a good movie to watch. Robbie hauled himself up in the kitchen, the smells from it already making Daisy’s mouth drool. Something about a home cooked meal always made things better.

Her eyes gaze around the house, taking it in from the last time she was her. It had been quick, back before she really knew the brothers, and hadn’t had the chance to look. It was homey, small but still plenty of room for what they needed. They had a tree in the corner near the TV, decorated with white lights and what looked to be homemade decorations. There was even a decoration with a skull on it that made Daisy laugh, Gabe shooting her a grin when he realized what it was.

They were happy though and that was the most important thing. After the whole ordeal with their uncle and Robbie disappearing for a time, she and Gabe had stayed in contact. Daisy knew what it felt like to be without a family, to be in an empty home. She would meet Gabe from time to time when she was free from work, and they would just talk. If she had any kind of update, any shred of evidence that Robbie was out there, she would let him know as soon as she knew.

They had grown close. It was so different from where they began and she was happy to get to know Gabe more. The younger Reyes boy felt the same, apologizing at one point when hope seemed to be lost to him. She told him not to worry about it, understanding why he felt the way he did.

When Robbie did return, the first words out of his mouth before he passed out were about Gabe. She held onto his arms as he stepped towards her, body leaner than it had been, and a desperate look in his eye. Robbie had slumped into her and Daisy sunk to the ground, holding him. Her head was in the crook of his neck and as the team rushed around them, she took him in. He smelt of smoke, a fire just put out after a long burn. His skin warm, but paler than it usually was. He was back, but it would take time to recover. The smile she tried to hold back broke across her face, relief washing through her body.

The reunion had been heart warming, though Daisy only caught a glimpse before leaving the brothers to their privacy. It wasn’t her place to intrude on a heartfelt moment.

Blinking, Daisy caught herself spacing off. She turned back to Gabe, who had settled on a football game to watch.

Stretching her feet out, Daisy nodded her head towards the kitchen, “I didn’t take Robbie as the cooking type.”

Gabe grinned “No one really does, so don’t worry,” he replied, a somber expression coming over his face, “He found some of our mother’s cookbooks one day when he was in high school and has been cooking ever since.”

She frowned, nodding. Their parents had come up when she was looking into Robbie. It wasn’t something she dove into, knowing when it wasn’t right to pry.  

“That’s nice,” she whispered, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “a good habit to pick up on,” she paused, laughing slightly, “I’m awful at cooking. They’ve actually forbidden me on the base from doing it”

“That bad?” Gabe asked.

Shrugging, she laughed embarrassingly, “I just tend to burn things a little too often.”

The younger man laughed, shaking his head. A silence fell over them, attention turned back to the game. It allowed Daisy to take the moment in, the warmth inside her spreading. She had debated coming over, an odd nervousness coming over her every time she thought about it. Trying to explain it to Jemma didn’t get much of a result and when she mentioned it to Elena, the dark haired woman gave Daisy a knowing smirk before telling her to just go.

“Oh!” Gabe exclaimed, jumping Daisy from her thoughts. He leaned over the couch, grabbing something from underneath it. It took her a second to realize it was the book Robbie has gotten in New York City.

Holding it up, his smile beamed, “Thanks for the book by the way, Robbie said you helped pick it out when you guys were in New York.”

Her eyes widened slightly, surprised. Robbie had mentioned she helped get it? “Oh well,” she said, trying to be nonchalant, “Robbie was the one who found it…”

“Yeah but he said you pushed him to get it,” he countered, eyebrow raised as if he wanted her to challenge him, “so technically you helped. It sounded like you guys had a good time.”

Her mind flashed back to the night, the snow in the air, the chill, Robbie’s warm hand in her’s, his smile, and she had to fight off the heat rushing to her face. Smiling, she brushed her hand through her hair again, “It was a lot of fun. I’ve never been to the city during the winter, it was just like the movies,” she explained, laughing, “Your brother would not stop complaining about the cold weather.”

“I can hear you, you know!” Robbie called from the kitchen, leaning around to glare at them, “Don’t think you can smack talk me and not have me hear it.”

He turned back into the kitchen as the two of them laughed, sharing a knowing smile and look.

“He isn’t a big fan of cooler weather, as I’m sure you learned.” Gabe continued, leaning back into the couch. His eyes dart over the cushion, keeping an eye out for his brother before laughing again.

“Oh yes,” she replied in a fake happy tone, “a dozen or so times I think I heard him complain. Even after I got him a hat!”

A snort comes from the kitchen and she turned her head back toward it, a wicked grin on her face. Gabe watched her walked toward the kitchen and heard a clattering from the room. A few whispers are passed, nothing he could really hear, and Gabe rolled his eyes.

They were so obvious it was painful. The worst part about it to Gabe was that, from their interactions, neither his brother or Daisy had made a move. From the way Robbie talked about their trip to New York City, he had thought that at least something had happened. His brother tried to play it off like it was nothing, just two friends walking around the city together. But Gabe was always able to read Robbie well, even from when they were little. It was painfully obvious to him that Robbie really liked Daisy, but just couldn’t admit it.

When Robbie was gone, he felt like his world was crumbling. They had separated on such a sour note and getting the information about his uncle made it harder. But every step of the way, to Gabe’s surprise, Daisy was there to help. She would explain to him what happened, what they thought they could do, how he could come back. And when he needed someone to talk to, Daisy would always be there as soon as she could be. He was happy to find he was wrong about her, that she wasn’t like how they showed on the news. She was caring, funny, and would lend out a helping hand whenever he needed it.

His brother had never been someone who opened up to people easily, even before the accident. Robbie was a private person and didn’t throw his trust out like it was nothing. That was how Gabe knew there was something between the two of them. Robbie was sharing information with Daisy that Gabee didn’t even know about, something he didn’t tell anyone. When Robbie came back from wherever he was, if he wasn’t with Gabe, he was with Daisy. He wondered if they realized how close they would stand next to one another, how if one of them left, the other would watch them leave, an expression he couldn’t read on their face.

Laughter broke him from his thoughts and he looked back over the couch, Robbie lightly pushing Daisy out of the kitchen. Her face was lit up, smiling ear to ear as she laughed. Gabe could see his brother trying to keep his serious face, though a smile was fighting to form on his lips. He found himself smiling, happy to see them happy.

Now if only they could actually talk about their feelings. He didn’t feel like dealing with this hovering and waiting too long.

* * *

Dinner went by fast, much to Daisy’s sadness. She wanted to savor the food longer. It was just that good. Luckily for her, there was some leftovers to take back to the base. A million times better than anything the cafeteria’s in the base could cook up, that was for sure!

Scooping up the last of the mashed potatoes, Daisy hummed happily, “I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but I gotta say it again Robbie,” she sealed the container tightly, “That was great. I can’t remember the last time I had such a good home cooked meal.”

He turned away from the sink, eyebrow raised slightly, “None of the guys over at SHIELD cook?” he asked.

“They do, but we haven’t had the chance to have a dinner in a while you know?” she shrugged, putting the leftovers in the refrigerator, “Busy with missions and what not.”

Gabe rolled up the sink, passing the plates up to Robbie, “Well when you get back, you can share the leftovers with them. I’m sure they’d like a little different from what they normally have.”

“Oh yeah, they’ll probably all fight for it,” she replied, laughing, ”Jemma would kill for this food. She loves homemade stuff. And when I tell them that you,” she pointed at Robbie, “made it, they’ll probably faint from shock.”

Cleaning up didn’t take too long, the brothers seemed to have a system setup and Daisy just stepped back, not wanting to get in the way. As they finished up, Daisy walked over to the tree, grabbing the two themed bags she brought with her. Double checking them, making sure the gifts were inside, she turned as Robbie sat on the couch, Gabe staying in his wheelchair.

She smiled, holding out the bags, “I didn’t mention gifts, but I wanted to give you guys something,” she explained, passing them the bags, “A thank you for letting me crash your Christmas.”

Robbie eyes widened slightly, shocked, and looked up at the brunette, “You didn’t have to do this Daisy...” he trailed off.

“I insist, it’s the least I could do.” she replied, leaning back on her heels. Hands behind her back, she wrung them slightly. Stepping over boundaries wasn’t something she wanted to do, but it didn’t feel right to come to their house empty handed.

Gabe picked through the tissue paper quickly, pulling out a box. He glanced up at her, confused for a moment, before continuing. Taking off the cover, his eyes widened, eyebrows shooting up, “Oh wow this is so…” he mumbled, slowly pulling out a part for a telescope. It was a sleek black, reminding him of the one he had.

“It should fits with yours,” Daisy explained, pointing to the side of it, “Fitz even added a few extra things to it to see stuff more clearly.”

The younger man turned it over in his hands, eyes wide with awe, “Daisy this is great...thank you so much.”

Robbie dug through his bag, pushing past the tissue paper. His hand brushed against something, hard, and he pulled it out. It was a book, the cover of it littered with different types of older model cars. An envelope stuck out from the top of the book and he tugged on it. He turned it over in his hands once, confused, before opening it. A note, scratched out in Daisy’s hand writing he assumed, was paired with a gift certificate for a car detailing. For one of the nicer places in the area.

“For that time I kinda busted up the side of your car…” she explained sheepishly when he looked up at her. God, she was never going to live that down.

“Which you will never drive again.” Robbie stated in a flat tone.

Sighing, Daisy sat down next to him, crossing her arms, “Which I will never drive again…” she mumbled.

A smile broke across his face, Robbie shaking his head slightly. He set aside the note and started to flip through the book, “How did you know…?” he asked, turning to look at her.

“Mack mentioned it to me,” she explained, tapping the cover, “he said you guys were talking about it. Must have left an impression for Mack to mention it as quickly as he did.”

He could feel heat rushing to his face and ducked his head slightly, looking through the book, “I did kind of talk his ear off.” he mumbled under his breath. He didn’t even realize he was doing it at the time.

Daisy laughed, patting his arm, “Yeah I got that idea.”

Gabe’s eyes darted between the two, a knowing smile tugging on his lips. It was like they were lost in their own world. He had never seen Robbie act this way around anyone, sometimes not even around him. He couldn’t feel anything but happiness for his brother. It was like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

Yawning, Gabe stretched his arms above his head, “Well...I’m tired, so I think I’m gonna head off to bed a bit early. All the holiday excitement you know?”

Robbie turned to his younger brother, confusion on his face. His brows furrowed as he leaned toward him, “Really? You sure you don’t wanna stay up? It’s early…”

The younger Reyes brother waved him off, “Nah, it’s fine. I’ve got to put this new lens on anyway,” he held it slightly aloft, “Thanks again Daisy, it’s great.”

Confusion was on her face as well, but Daisy quickly broke into a smile, nodding, “I’m happy you like it Gabe. Merry Christmas.”

Returned the smile, he nodded towards the both of them, “Merry Christmas to you too,” he patted his brother’s arm, “see you in the morning.”

Robbie watched his brother roll off into his room down the hall, listening for the door to close, “Gabe usually stays out longer than that….” he said in a confused tone, glancing back at Daisy.

“Maybe he’s just tired like he said,” she replied, “I know long days like this always take it out of me.”

He sat back into the couch, stroking the lower half of his face in thought, “Yeah… it has been a long day…” He turned to her and suddenly realized how close they are. Her skin was cool against his, a hint of a floral scent coming from her hair. His mind raced, the thought of running his hand through her hair, cupping her jaw, the feel of her lips against his.

Squashing the thoughts, he grabbed the remote and started flicking through the TV as a distraction. “How did Coulson like his gift?” he asked, trying to calm his heart down. He had to get a grip, this was ridiculous!

“Oh he loved it, like I knew he would.” she explained happily, a look of triumph on her face, “Everyone got a kick out of it cause it was old fashioned looking and he tried to deny that he loved that stuff. He caved of course.”

“Of course. How was everyone?”

“Great, all of us are just swamped with work. But it was a nice quick get together,” she paused, a smirk tugging on her face, “they were asking where you were.”

Robbie pointed to himself, raising a brow in question, “Really?”

“Yeah,” she reiterated, shrugging playfully, “shockingly enough they seem to like you.”

A snort escaped him, “Well...tell them I’ll come by sometime soon, when they need me again.”

“Coulson really wanted to talk to you about cars since he heard about your chit chat with Mack. He loves talking historical cars with people.”

He laughed lightly, of course Coulson wanted to chat, “Did Mack tell everyone?” he asked.

“Basically.” She said matter of factly with a beaming smile, laughter behind her words.

Robbie clenched the book slightly tighter, trying to control himself. This girl was going to be the death of him.

“I’ll have to come up with some new facts,” he replied, holding up the book, “maybe the book you got me can help.”

“Look at that!” she exclaimed, punching her fist in the air, “It’s already getting some use! I feel accomplished in my gift giving.”

Finally after searching, Robbie found a Christmas movie to watch. The Polar Express wasn’t one of his favorite movies, but it was an easy watch. Daisy agreed to it and every few minutes would spit out some facts she randomly knew about the movie.

“So Tom Hanks is playing most of these people in the movie?” Robbie asked, shocked, “That’s nuts...I didn’t know that.”

“Right?!” she exclaimed, waving a hand at the screen, “It’s crazy. Some of the effects in this movie still freak me out a bit.”

“The eyes?”

“Yes!” she said, turning her head towards him, “There is something about the eyes, it’s got this weird thing about them…”

“This uncanny valley type thing…” he replied in a whisper, looking down at her.

They’re inches apart from one another. Eyes locked, both frozen, not sure what to do next. Daisy eyes gazed from his eyes to his lips, lingering on them for a moment to long. They quickly meet his eyes again and she doesn’t want to ruin what they have. This friendship, this easy bond that they have. Does he feel the same way? How would he react, what if he didn’t want that? Questions buzzed through her head and she knew she had to make her choice soon.

Slowly, she moved towards him, tilting her head slightly. It was now or never. His eyes widened slightly, her hand finding it’s way to his shoulder. She feels a pressure on her hip, it’s warm, and they meet halfway. The kiss is soft, slow. Like they were testing the waters. His lips were slightly chapped, but they fit perfectly with hers.

Breaking apart for a moment, she looked at him through her lashes, unsure of his reaction. Robbie was always hard to read. They stayed like that, staring at one another, before Robbie recaptured her lips. He pulled her closer to him, pressing her body to his. Her hand on his shoulder moved to the back of his neck, the other clutching at his chest. His hand tangled itself in her hair, his nose bumping her’s as he tried to deepen the kiss. He had a lingering smoky taste, a warmth to his skin that she couldn’t pull herself away from her. It was a kiss of need, of pent up wait, and Daisy was more than welcomed to keep it going.

They broke apart again, catching their breath. He leaned his forehead against her’s, a breathy laugh leaving him.

“That was…”

Laughing slightly, she gazed up at him, a small smile on her face, “*Yeah…”

“I hope I didn’t…?” he mumbled, worry seeping into his voice. She can feel him stiffen slightly under her hand.

“What? No...no that was…,” she laughed lightly again, combing her hand through his short hair, “that was perfect Robbie.”

“Do you…,” he paused and she can’t believe how cute he is when he’s nervous, “do you wanna stay the rest of the night? Or do you need to head back?”

Nodding slowly, she brought her hand to his face, stroking his cheek with her thumb, “I...I’d love to. Stay, that is. I don’t need to be back til later in the day.”

He leaned into her touch, taking her hand in his and smiled up at her. She could feel her heart pounding, almost ready to explode. Right now, she didn’t know what this was or could be. But she wanted more to anything to make it work. Anything to see him smiling more like he was right now.

The next morning, Gabe finds them on the couch. Daisy is pressed to Robbie’s side, her head tucked under his chin, legs tangled in one another’s. He spotted their hands entwined and couldn’t help but smile.


End file.
